Dear Editor:
Have any practitioners had experience with child neglect convictions in light of 1996 IIRIRA? Child abuse is clearly covered by IIRIRA, but there is some contradictory language re: whether child neglect conviction may result in removability. Since many non-US cultures have different concepts of watching children, often immigrants find themselves in a situation where a neighbor who thinks the children are alone without parental supervision calls the police. There is no actual danger to the children, but accused then pleads no contest or guilty to minimal CN offense (pays fine, etc.) just to avoid the time/expense of challenging the charges, but ends up with a potential immigration problem.